Frankincense’s future: Ancient gift endangered, risks depletion December 11, 2020By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, News, Video, World News The Gospel of Matthew never details how many Magi came from “the East,” but it makes it clear they traveled to pay homage to “the newborn king of the Jews” and “offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Movie Review: ‘Half Brothers’ December 10, 2020By John Mulderig Catholic News Service Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews, News, World News Though director Luke Greenfield’s odd-couple road trip movie produces the occasional laugh, it’s effectively undercut by the fact that neither of its lead characters is a believable figure.
Cause opens for Louisiana priests who sacrificed their lives in 1873 epidemic December 10, 2020By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News The sacrifice of five Catholic priests who gave their lives ministering to people in Shreveport during the 1873 yellow fever epidemic is memorialized in stained glass at Holy Trinity Church in downtown.
Pope says Catholics can receive plenary indulgence for Guadalupe devotion December 10, 2020By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Hispanic Ministry, News, World News With the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe closed for her feast to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Pope Francis said Catholics still can receive a plenary indulgence Dec. 11 and 12 for their Marian devotion if they follow certain conditions.
Jupiter, Saturn to put on ‘Christmas Star’ show at winter solstice December 9, 2020By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service Filed Under: Advent, Christmas, Feature, News, World News A once-every-two-decade conjunction involving the solar system’s two gas giants will give earthbound observers a look at a so-called “Christmas Star” on the winter solstice.
Michigan project to replicate Padre Pio’s famed hospital in Italy is underway December 8, 2020By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, World News Thanks to the vision, faithfulness and tenacity of several Catholic health care organizations, individuals and the patronage of Lansing Bishop Earl A. Boyea, the Howell project, known as “Casa USA,” seeks to duplicate St. Pio’s hospital complex for the first time outside of Italy, including an exact replica of the great Capuchin Franciscan saint’s original friary church.
Pope proclaims year dedicated to St. Joseph December 8, 2020By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Year of St. Joseph Marking the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph being declared patron of the universal church, Pope Francis proclaimed a yearlong celebration dedicated to the foster father of Jesus.
Cardinal Piacenza upholds ‘probable invalidity’ of confession by phone December 8, 2020By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Divine Worship, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Even though the world is facing a pandemic that may limit many people’s ability to celebrate the sacraments, particularly those people who are in isolation, quarantining or hospitalized with COVID-19, confession by phone is still most likely invalid, said Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
Pope plans to visit Iraq in March December 7, 2020By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, World News Barring any obstacles caused by the global pandemic, Pope Francis is set to begin international travel again in 2021 by visiting Iraq in March, which would make him the first pope to visit this nation.
U.S. gives grant to Catholic groups helping poor cope with pandemic December 3, 2020By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The U.S. government’s foreign aid agency awarded thousands of dollars in assistance to two Rome-based Catholic organizations assisting the poor in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.
Movie Review: ‘The Croods: A New Age’ December 2, 2020By Joseph McAleer Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews, News, World News The most entertaining Stone Age family since the Flintstones returns to the big screen in “The Croods: A New Age” (Universal), a delightful animated comedy suitable for almost all ages.
Young Salvadoran speaks of what he learned from murdered U.S. women December 2, 2020By Rhina Guidos Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, World News Childhood memories for Felipe de Jesus Abrego include celebrating each Dec. 2 with his grandmother at the tomb of two U.S. women religious buried in the local cemetery.